Congressman Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) today voted to increase funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, helping the constituents of Arkansas’s First Congressional District recover from the recent devastating weather.

The House of Representatives today passed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) annual appropriations bill that includes funding for FEMA Disaster Relief programs.

“Today I voted to ensure FEMA has the resources necessary to appropriately respond to natural disasters, like the First District recently experienced,” said Congressman Rick Crawford.  “As the people of the First District recover from unprecedented flooding, this legislation will ensure they get the assistance they need.”

Some provisions in the DHS appropriations bill include:

• $2.7 billion, $850 million (47 percent) more than requested by President Obama, to the Disaster Relief Fund. The fund is used to cover disaster assistance programs and coordinate federal response to presidentially declared disasters – including assistance to state and local governments.
• $103 million for flood mapping and risk analysis that is vital to updating maps to accurately reflect flood hazards.
• Preserves $13 billion in FEMA First Responder grants that provides funding for equipment and training for state and local government first responders.
• Increases grants for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) that help fire departments increase the number of frontline firefighters by hiring professional firefighters and recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters.

Congressman Rick Crawford is the first Republican elected to represent Arkansas’s First Congressional District since Reconstruction.  He serves on the Agriculture and Transportation & Infrastructure Committees. Rick and his wife Stacy, both ASU alumni, reside in Jonesboro with their two children.

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